ArtTitudes

Agus Suwage

Agus Suwage was born in Purwerejo, Central Java, on 14 April 1959. He studied graphic design in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB, Bandung Institute of Tecnology) in West Java from 1979 to 1986. Agus was artist in residence in 1996 at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia; from 1999 to 2000 at theMuseum of Modern Art in Saitama, Japan; and in 2003 for the Brito International Artists Workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The artist has participated in an exhibition that toured Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Germany, Holland from 1999 to 2003, the Gwangju Biennale in Korea in 2000, and the CP Open Biennalein Jakarta in 2003and 2005. He held solo exhibitions as Nadi Gallery in Jakarta, at Valentine WillieFine Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2002, and at Gallery Nasional Indonesiain Jakarta in 2003. A solo show of his works toured Indonesia in 2004. His painting was among the ten best in the Phillip Morris Indonesia Art Awards 1996. He has published an art book, This Room of Mine (1996). Agus now lives and works in Yogyakarta.

Since the mid 1990s, Agus has been a clever observer of events in this works. He borrows his own face and body in effective poster-like visual design. They express something rather personal about the artist, however this type of image has already been exhausted by floods of massages from society. Words take on the form of false figures in his paintings. His self-portraits avoid any sort of reference towards him self in concrete terms. They do not expressive symbolism the artist but take on public or social massage instead. Democracy Circus is a critical commentary about Indonesian politics. People in a cage perform circus acts as perverse entertainment for a seated man who passively observes them from a distance.

Biography

DOB
1959 in Purworejo, Central Java, Indonesia

Education
2003
“Brito International Artists Workshop” Tepantor, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1999 – 2000
Artist in Residence in “Sai-no-kuni” Saitama, The Museum of Modern Art, Koshigaya-shi Saitama, Japan.
1996
Artist in Residence in QUT, Brisbane- Australia
1979 – 1986
Graphic Design at Bandung Institute of Technology, Faculty of Fine Art and Design, Bandung Indonesia

Solo Exhibition
2009
“Still Crazy After All These Years”, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space

2008
“Inanimate Performance”, Soka Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan

2007
“I/CON” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2005
“Pause / Re-Play” Galeri Soemardja, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia

2004
“Fabulous Fable” Art Singapore. The Contemporary Asian Art Fair, organized by Nadi Gallery, Suntec City, Singapore
“Toys “S’ US”, CP- Asian Art Space – Jakarta. Selasar Soenaryo – Bandung. Emmitan Gallery – Surabaya. Gaya Fusion of Sense – Sayan, Bali. Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Playing the Fool” Valentine Willie Fine Art- Southeast Asian Painting & Works of Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2003
“Ough…Nguik!!” National Gallery- Jakarta, organized by Nadi Gallery, Indonesia

2002
Atelier Frank and Lee Gallery, Singapore
“Channel of Desire” Nadi Galeri, Jakarta, Indonesia

2001
”I&I&I” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Beautify” Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2000
“Sai-no-kuni” Artist in residence exhibition, Gen Gallery & Public center Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan
“Eksotika dotkom” Gallery Soemardja, ITB, Bandung, Indonesia

1999
Millennium Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

1998
Cemeti Contemporary Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Galeri Padi, Bandung, Indonesia

1997
Lontar Art Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

1996
H Block Gallery QUT, Brisbane – Australia

1995
Cemeti Contemporary Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Selected Group Exhibition
2008
“Loro Blonyo Kontemporer”, Magelang Indonesia
“Merti Bumi”, Lerep Kampung Seni, Ungaran, Jawa Tengah Indonesia
”Space/Spacing”, Galeri Semarang, Indonesia.
“Coffee,Cigarettes and Pad Thai” Eslite Gallery, Taipe,Taiwan.
“Respublicum”, Anniversary 7th galeri Canna, Indonesia.
“Manifesto”, Galeri Nasional,Jakarta, Idonesia.
“CIGE”, Nadi Gallery, Beijing, China.
“Inanimate Performance” Soka Art Center, Taipe Taiwan.
“The Scale of Black” Valentine Willie Fine Art, Singapore.
“Animal Kingdom” Jogja Galery, Yogyakarta Indonesia.

2007
“Shanghai Contemporary Art 2007” Shanghai, China
“Celebr’art’e Fire Boar” Kupu-Kupu Art Gallery, Jakarta / Griya Santrian, Bali
“On Appropriation” Galeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia
“Fetish Art Object” Biasa Art Space, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
“Thermocline of Art” New Asian Waves, ZKM, Kalsruhe, Germany
“Anti-Aging” Gaya Art Space, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
“Imagined Affandi” Galeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia
“China International Gallery Exposition” Langgeng Gallery & Vanessa Art Link, Beijing, China
“The Past – The Forgotten Time” The Hague, Artoteek Den Haag / the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation (NIOD), Amsterdam / Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta / Erasmushuis, Jakarta / Rumah Seni Yaitu, Semarang / Bizart, Shanghai
“Beautiful Dead” Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Indonesian Contemporary Artnow” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Jogja Sketsavagansa” Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2006
“Common Link” Vanessa Art Link, Chao Yang district, Beijing, China
Singapore Biennale 2006, Singapore
“Masa Lalu Masa Lupa” Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“The 21st Asian International Art Exhibition” Singapore Art Museum, Ayala Museum Philipines & Gracia Art Gallery Surabaya Indonesia
“Signed And Dated” Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“2nd Graphic Triennale 2006” Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Masa dan Tanda-Tanda” Vanessa Art Link, Jakarta, Indonesia

2005
”Poros Pembebasan” Rahayu Artspot, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Etalase” Galeri Semarang, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
“Eksodus Barang” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
”AKU, Chairil, dan Aku” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
”Intermezo”, Langgeng Gallery, Magelang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
”Jejak-Jejak Drawing” Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Beauty and Terror” Loft Gallery, Paris, France
“21st and Beyond” 21st Anniversary of Edwin’s Gallery, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“2nd CP Biennale – Urban/Culture” Jakarta, Indonesia
Summit Event Bali Biennale “Space and Scape”, Bali, Indonesia
“Here & Now” Ramzy Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Asian Contemporary Art” Singapore
“Quota 2005” Icon Langgeng Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2004
”Air kata-kata” Pameran illustrator buku Shindunata, Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Passion: Etno-Identity” Galeri Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Wings of Words Wings of Color” Langgeng Gallery, Magelang, Middle of Java, Indonesia
“Artscope” Selasar Soenaryo, Bandung, Indonesia
“3rd Canna’s Gallery Anniversary”, Canna Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Lima Ruang” Puri Art Space, Malang, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
“Indonesia – China Exhibition”, organized by LOFT Gallery Paris-Barcelona-Hongkong, Pakubowono Residence Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Reformasi”, Sculpture Square – Singapore
“Olimpiade”, Nadi Gallery in Pakubowono Residence – Jakarta, Indonesia
“Silent Action: Creativity for Tolerance and Peace” 4th Art Summit, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Transindonesia: scoping culture in contemporary Indonesia Art” at The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Zealand
“Exodus Barang”, Nady Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Jejak-jejak Drawing”, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2003
“All We Need is Love”, Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“In Between Perupa Dalam Rotasi Media”, Andi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Bazart- Festival Kesenian Yogjakarta” , Benteng Vredeburg, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Borobudur Agitatif” Langgeng Gallery, Magelang – Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
“Kado” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Countrybution” Biennale Yogyakarta VII, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
“Passion: Etno-Identity” Beijing, China

2002
“Dimensi Raden Saleh”, Galeri Semarang, Semarang, Central Jawa, Indonesia
Taman Kyai Langgeng, Megelang, Central Jawa, Indonesia
“Alpha Omega Alpa” Air Art House, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Not I Am I” Cyrcle Point Gallery, Washington DC, United State of America
“Mata Hati Demokrasi”, STSI, Surakarta, Indonesia

2001
”Figurare”, Gaya Gallery, Sayan Ubud Bali, Indonesia
“Membaca Frida Kahlo” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
”Buka Mata”, Valentine Willie Gallery, Chedi Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
”Pink Project” Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
”Not Just the Political” Museum Widayat, Magelang, Central Jawa, Indonesia
”Melik Gondong Lali” 50th Basis Magazine, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2000
Kwangju Biennial 2000, Kwangju, Korea
“Invisble Boundary”, Methamophosed ASIA Art “ The Niigata Perfectural Civic Center Gallery, Niigata & Utsonomiya Museum Art, Nangao-cho, Utsonomiya City Tochigi , Japan
One Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Five Continent and One City”, The Historical Center, Palacio de Los Condes de Santiago de Calimaya, Museo de la Ciuda de Mexico, Museum of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

1999-2002
“Awas! Recent Art from Indonesia”, Tour Exhibition: (Yogya) Indonesia, (Melbourne-Canbera, Sydney, Cairns) Australia, (Hiroshima- Ashikawa) Japan, (Berlin, Koln, Achen) Germany, (Amsterdam – Roterdam) Netherland, (Jakarta) Indonesia

1999
At Lontar Gallery, Jakarta Indonesia
Installation Exhibition “Media Dalam Media” National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Makassar Arts Forum ’99”, Ujung Pandang South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Tachikawa International Art Festival, Tachikawa Japan
Amsterdam, the Netherland

1998
“Plastic (& other waste)”, Chulangkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
“Imaging Selves”, Singapore Art museum, Singapore
Art Cemara 6 Café Gallery & Lontar Art Gallery, Earth Day ’98 Indonesia Alliance for Better Earth and Humane Life, Jakarta, Indonesia
LOS, Pameran bersama Seni Rupa at Gallery Cipta II, Taman Imail Marzuki, Jakarta, Indonesia

1997
Current Art in Southeast Asia, Glimpses into the Future, Tokyo and Hiroshima, Japan
Sixth Biennial of Havana, Cuba
“Axis”, Indonesia – Belgium Exhibition, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Ipoh Art Festival”, Ipoh, Malaysia
“A Gift for India”, Rabindra Bhawan Galleries, New Delhi, India

1996
Artotek, Den Haag, Netherland
“Kesibukan Mengamati Batu-batu” Performance and Installation Colaboration, TIM Jakarta, Indonesia
Phillip Morris Indonesian Art Award – ASEAN Building, Jakarta, Indonesia
Phillips Morris ASEAN Art Award – National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
Second Asia Pacific Triennial – Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane – Australia
10th Biennial Jakarta, Indonesia

1995
Contemporary Art the Non Aligned Countries, Jakarta, Indonesia
“Two Generation” Galeri Cipta, TIM, Jakarta, Indonesia
Cheju Pre- Biennale, Cheju-do Island, South Korea
“Art Exhibit” Gedung YPK, Bandung, Indonesia

1994
“Exodus” Plaza Bintaro, Jakarta, Indonesia
Q Agency, Amsterdam, C
Jogchem Art Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Workshop and Exhibition “5+5 Indoensia-Netherland” Erasmushuis Jakarta and Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The Fourth Yogyakarta Art Biennial, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

1993
Art Gallery Conink, Amersfoort, Netherlands
Library Van de Katholieke Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Ninth Jakarta Biennial, Jakarta, Indonesia

1992
Jakarta Art and Design Expo, Jakarta, Indonesia

1991
Galleri Yasri, Jakarta, Indonesia

1985
Young Artist Sixth Biennial, TIM – Jakarta, Indonesia

1984
“Ini Baroe Seni roepa, Ini Seni Roepa Baroe” Exhibition, France cultural Center and Bandung Youth Center, Bandung, Indonesia

Catalogue
2006
“Singapore Biennale 2006” published by Singapore Biennale 2006

2005
“Pause/Replay” published by the artist
“Urban/Culture” 2nd CP Biennale 2005, published by CP Foundation

2004
“Playing The Fool” published by Valentine Willie Fine Art
“Fabulous Fable” published by Nadi Gallery
“Toys ‘S’ Us” published by CP Foundation

2003
“Ough Nguik” published by Nadi Gallery

2002
“Channel of Desires” published by Nadi Gallery

2001
“I and I and I” ” published by Nadi Gallery

2000
“Five Continend and one City” published by Instituto de Cultura de la Ciudad de Mexico
“Invisible Boundary” Metamorphosed Asian Art, published by Utsunomiyo Museum of Art
“Man and Space” published by Kwangju Biennale
“Thousand of Bodies” published by Sai-no-kuni Saitama, artist in residence program

1999
“Awas! Recent Art from Indonesia” Tour Exhibition: (Yogya) Indonesia, (Melbourne-Canbera, Sydney, Cairns) Australia, (Hiroshima- Ashikawa) Japan, (Berlin, Koln, Achen) Germany, (Amsterdam – Roterdam) Netherland, (Jakarta) Indonesia

1998
“Plastic and the other waste” published by Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

1997
“Havana Biennale 1997” published by Havana Biennale 1997
“Art in South East Asia 1997 Glimpses in to the Future” published by Museum of Contemporary Tokyo

1996
“3rd Asia Pasific Triennal of Contemporary Art” published by Quinsland Art Gallery, Brisbone

Books
2007
“Thermocline of Art” New Asian Waves, published by Hatje Cantz Verlag
“Indonesian Contemporary ArtNow”, published by SNP International Publishing

2006
“Modern Indonesian Art, From Raden Saleh to the Present Day”, published by Koes Art Books

2005
“Art and Social Change” Contemporary Art in Asia and the Pasific, published by Pandanus Books

2003
“15 Years Cemeti Art House, Exploring Vaccum”, published by Cemeti Art House

1998
“Indonesian Modern Art and Beyond”, published by Indonesian Fine Arts Foundation

1997
“This Room of Mine” published by Lontar Foundation

“The Man of the Year”
200 x 250 cm
Oil on linen
2009

Artists